Space heater



Aug. 15, 1959 D 2,518,982

sgAcE HEATER Filed March 25, 1947 2 slfgeets-sheet 1 Fig.3.

Inventor Edward R. Edwards WWW 3m 6. m s. m a 2 m k .Q- m m 9 t v k M W A, H 2 a. Y I o. ./A 8 e d 1 Q E n Hr R: 2 a v I m m m H S N\ Om N m NM. W 2 d M v E mm mm 2 x, 2 s mm D R m. m mv w m g m w a u R m 1 a 8 1 o? 7 4 m w ow 5 m I 11 M ll a .M i u d i L A m ow A: m m

Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED? STATE S PATENT F F l C E SPACE HEATER Edward R. Edwards, Niles, Ohio.

Application March 25, 1947, Serial No. 736,981

Z CIaimS 1 This invention relates generally to space heaters, and more particular to a space heater comprising a boiler having a plurality of electric heating units enclosed in heat conductive covers, this boiler forming a closed system with a radiator, and the boiler and radiator being enclosed within a casing wherethrough air is forced.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a heating unit for the rooms of buildings and general space heating, and to generally function in the same role as an ordinary heating furnace.

Another object of this invention is to provide a, space heater in which the heating elements are very conveniently located and are easily removed for replacement or r pair.

Another, object of this invention is to provide a space heater so designed that the connections and other portions of the closed water circulating system are easily accessible.

Another object of this invention is to provide a space heater which will be extremely economical in operation, there being very liitle heat lost through. the air immediately surrounding the heater.

And a last object to. be specifically mentioned is to provide a heater or this character which is inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, simple and convenient to install and use, adapted for automatic control, and adapted to provide for generally efiicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arran ement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described. in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings which form a material part of. this application, and in, which:

Figure 1 is a vertical side elevational view of the" assembled heater;

Figure: is another elevational view of this heater;

Figure 3. is a vertical sectional view of the heater, taken on the line 3--3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the center line 44 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 55 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detailed View of a refractory plug with an electric heating element thereon, the view being partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, to facilitate the illustration and to amplify the disclosure of this invention; and

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the attachment base whereon the plugs, illustrated in Figure 6, are supported.

Similar-characters of reference designate similar or identical parts and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, which drawings represent one preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be noted that a plurality of legs H) are secured to the base l2 of a casin-g, generally indicated'by the numeral and comprising side wall portions !6 and a top 38, top I8 being apertured and provided with a plurality of pipes 2i! to lead air from the heater to different rooms or areas as the case may require.

Air is drawn into this casing by an electric fan generally indicated by the reference numeral connected with an inlet pipe M on the side wall it of the casing.

An obliquely disposed baffle plate is secured to the side wall it, projecting outwardly there from at a point slightly above said outlet A water container, hereinafter referred to simply as the boiler 28, may be formed integral with the base I2 of the casing, that with the base l2- comprising the base of the boile; and thisboiler is of a dimension smaller than the interior of the casing is so that an. air vided encircling the boiler.

secured on. the top of the boiler and con nected thereto by radiator inlet pipes and radiator outlet pipes '54, both inlet and outlet pipes being in duplicate, that is, each side the radiator, in order that accelerated ci i ationof the water within the; closed syst formed by the boiler and theradiator may be i ined. These pipes are formed with coupling r 36 and standard elbows all located within the casing l4 and spaced from the walls thereof, so that air drawn through the inlet circulates around said boiler, radiator and connecting pipes.

A water inlet 40 and a drain 42 are provided in the boiler, and it is proposed that this boiler will be nearly filled with water, an emergency relief valve being provided, if desired, this high level of water in the boiler being made practicable by the use of electric heating elements 44 which are capable of being accurately controlled with relation to the temperature of the water in the boiler, as well as the temperature sought to be obtained in the space heated by the heater. The device to control the temperature of the water in the boiler, as well as the temperature of the heated air, is represented diagrammatically at 46, it being understood that this controlling unit 46 is electrically connected with the heating elements 44 and thermostatic unit (not shown).

Secured to the base l2 of the boiler are a plurality of preferably cylindrical covers 46, these covers being closed at the top and open at the base and having flanges 50 at their bases extending outwardly at right angles to facilitate the securement of these covers, in apertures formed in the base 12, with the flanges 50 secured to the base I2 by attachment plates 52 and a plurality of stud bolts 54. Obviously, the shape of these covers 48 may vary without departure from the spirit of this invention, and the apertures in the base l2, as well as the plates 52 will necessarily be shaped to conform with the character of the covers 48.

The heating elements 44- will ordinarily be secured to terminals 56 on plugs 58 of refractory material, having radially extending flutin'gs, or ribs 60, terminally recessed as at 62, to support the electric heating elements 44. These plugs 58 may be conveniently secured within the covers 48 by means of a plug supporting plate 64, best illustrated in Figure '7, having a spring bracket 66 of irregular shape secured to the upper face thereof and adapted to engage the lower end of the plug 58 and to space this plug a short distance above the plate 64 in order that maximum air circulation may be achieved within the covers 48, this maximum circulation being desirable in order that the heating elements 44. will have increased length of useful life. It should be carefully noted that the diameter of the plate 64 is slightly larger than the interior diameter of the cover 48 and that the thickness of the plate 64 is substantially equal to the thickness of the plate 50, so that the plate 64 and the flange plate 50 can be secured firmly within the attachment plate 52 and the base l2 of the boiler, the inside edges of the covers 48 being bevelled or slightly recessed at the base to accommodate the edges of the plate 64, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

The method of operation of this device will be obvious from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof but, in recapitulation, it may be noted that the boiler is capable of being filled with water to a reasonably high level, and the inlet 40 and outlet 42 will normally be closed. Electrical energy will, of course, be led to each of the heating elements 44, through the controlling member 46, and the heat engendered within the covers 48 is transmitted through these covers to the water in the boiler 28. The water, steam, or in some systems, a mixture of water and steam, circulates convectively through the boiler, radiator or radiators and the connecting pipes 32-and 34. The air drawn in by the fan through the outlet 24, and directed downwardly by the baffle 26, circulates in contact with all the heated elements within the casing 16 and is warmed thereby prior to the outlet flow of this air through the pipes 20.

Though there has been shown a particular embodiment of this invention this application is not limited to this particular embodiment, but it is desired to include in the scope of this invention the construction, combination and ar rangement of parts and portions substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Heating units for use with a boiler having an aperture in a wall thereof, comprising a hollow cylindrical cover extending into the boiler through said aperture, a flange on the outer end of said cover larger than said aperture, an attachment plate secured to said wall of the boiler and holding said flange on said wall in sealed relation, a plug supporting plate secured between said cover and the attachment plate and having a spring bracket, a hollow plug of refractory material terminally engaged with said bracket and extending axially of the cover, and a heating element on said plug having terminals on said attachment plate.

2. Heating units for use with a boiler having an aperture in a wall thereof, comprising a hollow cylindrical cover extending into the boiler through said aperture, a flange on the outer end of said cover larger than said aperture, an attachment plate secured to said wall of the boiler and holding said flange on said wall in sealed relation, a plug supporting plate secured between said cover and the attachment plate and having a spring bracket, a hollow plug of refractory material terminally engaged with said bracket and extending axially of the cover, and a heating element on said plug having terminals on said attachment plate, said plug having radially extending longitudinally disposed ribs, said ribs having terminal recesses, and said heating ele. ment comprising wire having high resistance to electric current laced consecutively around said ribs and held within said recesses.

EDWARD R. EDWARDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

